The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1887-10-28

The Chinese Times give =
version OF the origin of the
throwing rice at weddings: In
of the Shang dynasty, some l,
b. c., there lived in the prog
Shansi most famous sorcerei
Chao. 1t happened one day thai
P'ang came to consult the oracle
Chao, having OWNED by means o. 4
tortoise diagram, informed the trem IL
P'ang that he had but six days to (e.
Now, however much we may trust fhe
sagacity and skill of our family physician,
we may be excused if, in matter of life
and death, we call in second doctor for
a consultation, and, in such strait, it is
not TO be wondered at that P'ang should
repair to another source to make sure
that there was no mistake. To the fair
Peachblossom he went, young lady who
had acquired some reputation as a sor-
ceres, and to the tender feminine heart
unfoldcd the story of his Woe Her divi-
nation yielded the same result as Chaos;
in six days P'ang should die, unless, by
the exercise of her magical powers, size
could avert the catastrophe. Her efforts
were successful, and on the seventh day
great was Chaos establishment, and still
greater was his modification and rage,
when he met P'ang taking his evening
stroll and learned that there lived n
greater magician than he. The story
would soon get about, and unless he
could quickly put an end to his fair
rivals existence, his reputation would
he ruined And this was how Chao plot
ted against the life of Peachblossom.
He sent a go-between to Peachblos-
SONS parents to inquire if their daugh
ter was still unmarried, and receiving
a reply in the affirmative, he befooled
the simple parents into believing that he
had son who was seeking a wife, and
ultimately he induced them to engage
Peachblossom to him in marriage. The
marriage cards were duly interchanged;
but the crafty Chao had chosen the most
unlucky day he could select for the we'd
ding, the day when the Golden Pleas
ant was in the ascendant Surely as
the bride entered the red chair the spirit
bird would destroy her with his power
full beak- But the wise Peachbloaom
kpeY al these things. and feared
defeat HIM " hen the weddif5
ing came, she gave directions to ~1ve
rice thrown out at the door, which the
spirit bird seeing made haste to devolr,
and while his attention was thus occu-
pied, Peachblossom stepped into the bridal
chair and passed on her way unframed.
And now the ingenious reader knows
why he throws rice at the bride If
any interest has been engendered in his
breast by this tale of the fair Peach
blossom. let him listen to what befell
her at the house of the magician. Ar
rived at Chaos house. no backgrounds
there. but an attendant was given her,
and the two girls prepared to pass the
night in the room assigned TO them.
Peachblossom was wakeful, for she knew
that, when the night passed, the ''Gold-
en- Pheasant would be succeeded by the
white Tiger, whose power and feroci-
ty who can telll go you to bed first
she said to the maid The girl was soon
asleep, and still her mistress slept not,
but continued to pace the room, and at
midnight the tiger spirit came, the morn
ing light showed Peachblossom still pac-
ing the room. while on the bed lay the
lifeless body of the little maid. Thus
were the magic battles of Peachblossom
and Chao, and many more were there,
until they took their flight to heaven,
where now they reign as gods. And on
the earth the actors have not idols more
priced than those of Peachblossom and
Chao Kung.